What Is Hearing the Voices Like With Schizophrenia?
Within the psychotic mind lies a mysterious place filled with voices and shadowy figures. Therein lies persecution and horror of otherworldly origin. What is it that brings this terror to us? Schizophrenia is a disease that is toxic to our minds, and brings on unusual beliefs and behaviors. An extension of these beliefs are dark, eerie voices from unseen places. These voices come from various origins and seem to have a conscious of their own. How is it that our minds can hear voices from nothingness? Is this a cruel trick of nature? How can a disease be so bizarre and menacing? The voices can unfold in different ways. For me, the beliefs and voices are one and the same. They mesh together to create a woven pattern of unreality, both tortuous and unseen.
Schizophrenia and Hearing Voices
When demons chase me, my mind tricks me into hearing their footsteps. When spies are following me, I can hear their whispers from dark alleyways. What is it that they are saying? “We are here. We are coming for you. You cannot escape.” That is the underlying persecutory theme that they speak of. They are all different permutations of the same chant.
Behind the eerie voices, lies an abusive, terrifying figure. A shadowy monster that I am unable to see. His voice sounds dark, angry, and monstrous, with an audio quality unequaled. I cannot see him, but I know he is there. He must be. How can you hear someone without their presence? It is impossible. This is what my mind tells me, a truth so far off from reality.
Schizophrenia is not about hearing voices. Schizophrenia is about monstrous ideas that are reinforced by voices. The voices are there to trick you into believing this unreality that we face on a daily basis. Don’t listen to them, because they are there to torture you. My voices eventually ceased. Not because the spies and demons stopped following me, but because I realized that they never existed in the first place.
Everything stopped -- the voices, the delusions, the terror. I was thrust upon the shoulders of the world again, naked and bare to the elements. Things will never be the same again. I am a victim of my own mind. Torture has taught me many things. Some of which, I wish I could forget.
APA Reference
Hoeweler, D.
(2014, July 16). What Is Hearing the Voices Like With Schizophrenia?, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, November 4 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/creativeschizophrenia/2014/07/hearing-the-voices-of-schizophrenia
Author: Dan Hoeweler
I’d like to leave some ideas to those who are new or currently having a hard time with voices. For those who are having ‘scary voices’ that threaten you, try to do the following actions which i always do. Whenever a scary voice approach you, say inside your heart, ‘in words’ anything saying that the voice may not be as it claim. The bible is right (it may be a shame for you who don't believe), anything that we are saying will work as long as we are not frighten, please smile then. Next, fix your wrist,neck and head from any tightness or pain. If the situation is so bad, its ok to deny the heart for its only make your thinking worse. So, focus on your head and its activity and let it be really apart from your heart thingy. So, please remember to not angry(do not wanting so much). But, be steady and cheerful. If you are tired or out of ideas or losing memory and getting lazy to handle the voice…then great, all fine’ except DO NOT Worry or frighten about what the voice will do to you, and be gentle. its pretty annoying that In my case, I am handling some satans and Voices…For those who taking meth, take your sleep or nap and everything will be good. May consider to quit..
My son is almost 20 he was diagnosed a few months before his 19th birthday. He showed symptoms of schizophrenia for months before this. I didn't really know what to call it. He hid until he couldn't hide it any longer. He was arrested and 51/50 and it saved his life. That was the most frightening night of my life I got a call from an officer I wish I could thank him. My son was hospitalized given meds and counseling. Every day is a struggle he was hospitalized 2 more times after that for non compliance. I have to remind him every day to take his medicine. He now knows how important it is. He has a part time job and volunteers at the library. For him he has to stay busy I just want to encourage him to do what ever makes him happy. We don't always see eye to eye and his mood swings are intolerable at times but I do love him. Every day is a battle for him and I can see the pain in his face. I won't let him give up on himself he still has so much potential.
Mental illness is very distructive. One cannot escspe the reality that most of the time it is chronic in nature and so it strips the sufferer from a normal life. Frequently the sufferer finds it hard to hold down a job and assume responsibilities. Unfortunetly there is also a genetic element. In my opinion a major difference between an organic illness and a psychiatric one is that very frequently in psychiatric illness there is no insight and so the sufferer does not seek help.Also compliance with medication is often lacking which leaves the sufferer vulnerable to relapses. I have worked in psychiatry for a good number of years and I have my success stories yet my heart still goes out to those whose lives have been devastated by psychiatric illness. I have also lived close to someone with a paranoid disorder and all I can say is that it has robbed me of a life with the joys of family.
Thank you for this article... I read it out loud to my husband who has paranoid schizophrenia... I completely agree until and unless you don't come accept that voices or sight u see are unrealistic you can not overcome schizophrenia...
Karina I don't know if this will help but Whenever my husband starts talking about people being in our room or people in the moon controlling his brains... Instead of feeling sorry or trying to say oh it's not true... I say well why do you feel this way, because you have schizophrenia... the acceptance of disorder is the first step towards treatment my husband still has hard time accepting it, but he has come to terms with and takes his medication regularly... Also try not to focus on negative behavior try reinforcing his good behavior... I know it's hard but when u love someone you never give up on tHem
Saying "It's not true", never seemed to work for me. I don't know why exactly. I think you are right on.
My son is 24 , he showed signs from age 16 but he refused to see a dr an was adamant nothing was wrong with him it was us who was mad as he would say , i battled for years trying to get professional help but as he turnt age 18 was always told becouse he was over 18 they could not interfere, this went on until he was 23 after id been hit by him an years of abuse on our home saying we had people. Hiding in our home. He was sent to prison i stood in court an begged the judge to listen to me an that my son did not need prison but mental health care, a mental health dr was called to court an was horrified how ill Charlie was an he was placed in medical ward in prison for 3 weeks then moved under section to goodmayes hospital he was there 7 months has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He is still hearing voices an at times looks so tormented. My heart goes out to anyone with this illness or anyone caring for someone. With this x
Karina- you should locate your local NAMI group. They can provide you with a lot of information to help you understand what is going on and how you can support your son. Education has saved us, as my son was diagnosed about 4 years ago.
Dan- thank you for your blog and sharing this info with us! Keep on as it is so helpful!
Glad I can help you recognize your problem. That's the first step to recovery.
thanks, dan for this page.
it is the first time that i read something clear on schizophrenia,and find an answer,
so, i didnot know i was ,what it shows on tv,
the patients are dangerous, they have fearfull thoughts... but finally i has a lot of unreality dreams , unreality thoughs,
why did i put my faith in it ?
when i read again the first part,
- it is a real trick of nature"
and i can understand, that when a child is alone in a young age, he cannot face those fears by himself ,
i just can be depressive , just that i understand this now, the origine of the schizophrenia
thinking about my young age fear,
thanks for sharing on this blog
karina, hello,
no answers from specialist from this blog,
its difficult to know how to start on this subject.
i m in this situation, whitout the alcool and smoking problem.
when i read the subjet on schizophrenia ,
i understand one thing that :
he said THE BELIEVE AND THE VOICE ARE ONE, ARE the same !
and that come from himself, and if he start not to be afraid of his believe and voices,
he will try to make a distance , from it,
i, from my part, coulnt yet put a distance from the voice and the reality,
so the voice came my reality, and which is false,
try to speak just ; saying to him to put a distance,
even make two steps back for showing the distance,
from the voice and respond our (his) truth to the voice.
i m trying to answer, because no anwer for me is
fearfull....
i understand your feeling of beign "speechless",
in front of this situation,
i understand it , only now....
real love bless you
I can understand your feelings. He has to take medication immediately.
I have a son, he is 31 yrs old and has been suffering with sckitzsophrenia. At first we thought it was his drugs use at a young age & adolescent behavior. He was arrested at the age of 15 and severed for 6 yrs. He got out of jail and turned 21 yrs old. He lives with us for a while and he got kicked out of the house. He has been homeless and has lived with us in out of our home! Our live has been living Hell with him and his outbursts! He has been diagnose by Long Beach Mental Department with sckitzsophrenia. He can't stay on top of his medications! He now has a drinks & smoke excessively. I am looking for help & directives for my son! I am desperate at this point because I don't know how to handle his sickness!